While proceeding with my master’s degree in data analytics in health management at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), the “MAAN” application was presented as my master’s thesis in 2021.
Mohamad Hassan Fadi Hijab
The first version of “MAAN” was developed on IOS devices to prove its concept and test the efficiency of the application with autistic adult users, and promising results were achieved. This lead to taking a step forward and enhancing the application to fulfil the needs and suggestions of the participants.
Autistic adults are usually eliminated from social media and messaging application use due to their lack of reading, writing, and talking skills. During their childhood, autistic adults were able to get the knowledge needed to learn PECS and other related communication symbols. Nowadays, WhatsApp is the greatest messaging application that has over billions of users. Studies showed that integrating communication symbols, speech-to-text, and text-to-speech in messaging applications will ease the messaging between autistic adults and their surroundings. Hence, there is a need to have one application, including an autism community, where it is safe, effective, and usable.
Inspired by WhatsApp and the additional features that could more effectively affect autistic adults, MAAN is designed. The application’s name “MAAN” means “together” in Arabic, which is the abbreviation of Messaging Application for Autistic and Non-autistic. The name describes the application’s functionality which is designed to be a messaging app directed to autistic adults to communicate with others and hence support their inclusion in society. The interface is designed with minimal screens and follows the same designs in other traditional and commonly used messaging applications. Thus, providing individuals with a satisfying and effortless experience. The application will be on both android and IOS devices. It will include the basic functions of any other messaging applications, such as real-time messaging, including sending and receiving text, images, videos, recordings, documents, and video and voice calls. A requesting function for the application where the autistic users should be monitored by non-autistic users to accept the contacts that autistic users could communicate. It will also include the customization feature regarding the application and chatting bubbles colors. The main features of the application include Speech-to-Text, Speech-to-Text, and Communication Symbols. To support the autism community, a shop will be added for non-autistic users only. Finally, a website that has access to the database will be developed to support admin functionalities.
Mada innovation awards 2022
Website Link:https://www.maanapplication.com/
Google store link
App Store link
